Goal: Ensure that U.S. corporations do not take advantage of the new Burmese markets

The Burmese market has recently been opened up for foreign markets to invest in certain business deals and arrangements. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealed in July that the sanctions over business arrangements in Burma have been lifted, and now U.S. corporations have a new market to possibly outsource to. The Burmese market has been closed for 20 years, and since it is newly reopened, human rights must be monitored and respected.

Burma has a history of mistreatment and exploitation of workers in the factories, and with new corporations, this history must not continue. New reforms have been initiated recently to help with the human rights issue; however, without a lot of monitoring, laborers are still suppressed and exploited. The fight against exploitation is a hard and long one, and U.S. corporations must not make this fight harder by adding on to the issues at hand. The U.S. has to make sure its corporations will enter fair business deals in Myanmar.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese freedom fighter and a Nobel Prize winner, has expressed his concerns for human rights. The nation is still working with the new reforms, and has yet to get a handle on the human rights problems. The country is plagued with past and ongoing human rights violations that have yet to be accounted for, forced labor, and political prisoners; with new businesses, these issues may multiply quicker than the country can handle.

Amnesty International has developed a list of recommendations for U.S. corporations to follow in order to avoid dangerous boundaries while working in Myanmar. If the corporations do not want to follow these suggestions, the U.S. must create its own guidelines for these corporations. The U.S. must advocate for human rights and it cannot allow its corporations to exploit the Burmese people.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Tom Donohue, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,

Ever since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that business sanctions have been lifted in Burma, I have been worried for the Burmese people. Burma is a nation that has a long history of human rights violations, especially by big corporations. Now that U.S. corporations can invest their businesses in Burma, I am afraid that more human rights violations may follow.

The U.S. is an advocate for human rights and freedom, and you must not allow these corporations that represent America abuse the rights of the Burmese people. Amnesty International has already expressed its concerns and has drafted a list of recommendations that will help corporations from slipping into the dangers of exploitation. If corporations do not want to follow these suggestions, you should draft your own guidelines to make sure no new exploitation takes place.

Please put pressure on U.S. corporations to avoid exploiting innocent people for profit.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Photongo via Flickr

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